Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
December 3–16, 1971
Result Indian victory
The war ran from 3 to 16 December 1971, after Pakistan launched preemptive air strikes (Operation Chengiz Khan) on Indian air stations and India entered the Bangladesh Liberation War on the side of Bengali nationalist forces. Indian and Pakistani forces fought on both the eastern and western fronts. Pakistan's Eastern Command surrendered in Dhaka on 16 December 1971, and East Pakistan became the independent nation of Bangladesh; about 93,000 Pakistani personnel were taken prisoner.
Battles 7
November 22 – December 18, 1971
Battle of Hilli
Bangladeshi-Indian victory
Battle of Hilli
Lachhman Singh Lehl, Kuazi Nuruzzaman, Tajammul Hussain Malik
December 2–16, 1971
December 3, 1971
December 4–7, 1971
December 4–16, 1971
Battle of Basantar
Indian victory
Battle of Basantar
Khem Karan Singh, W. A. G. Pinto, Arun Shridhar Vaidya
December 4–5, 1971
Operation Trident (1971)
Strategic Indian naval victory and partial naval blockade on Pakistan
Operation Trident (1971)
Babru Bhan Yadav, M. A. K. Lodhi
December 8–9, 1971
Operation Python
Indian victory, partial de facto naval blockade of Pakistan.
Key commanders
India and Bangladesh 8
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
belligerent leader
Indira Gandhi
Prime Minister of India, Led India into the war
Swaran Singh
belligerent leader
Sam Manekshaw
belligerent leader
Jagjit Singh Aurora
military commander
Sagat Singh
military commander
Lachhman Singh Lehl
military commander
Kuazi Nuruzzaman
military commander
Pakistan 8
Yahya Khan
President of Pakistan, Led Pakistan during the war; resigned after the defeat
Tikka Khan
belligerent leader
M. A. K. Lodhi
belligerent leader
Abdul Hamid Khan
belligerent leader
A. A. K. Niazi
military commander
Tajammul Hussain Malik
military commander
Abdul-Ali Malik
military commander
Sharbat Ali Changezi
military commander
